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As the spring semester comes to an end, the Office of Graduate Recruitment at UTRGV hosted the Grad Fair last Tuesday at the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus and will host another one from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday in the University Recreation center on the Edinburg campus.
Ana Chapa, senior graduate student recruiter, said the office supports anyone in the community who is interested in learning about master’s, doctoral and graduate certificate programs at the university.
“We meet with prospective students every day to answer questions about what the graduate application process is like and what the different programs require in terms of admissions,” Chapa said.
The graduate fair is one of the office’s biggest events, with more than 200 students on the Brownsville campus and double the number on the Edinburg campus each semester, according to the recruiter.
“Students have the opportunity to come meet with faculty and representatives from all of the different programs that we offer,” Chapa said. “ … You’re going to walk in, and you’re going to see all of these booths. … Sometimes, students know exactly which programs they want to visit, and there are other times where a student doesn’t really know yet what they’re interested in.”
She said the office meets with students daily, but students should attend the fair because there is something different about the information from the experts in the field.
“They can go a lot deeper; they have real-world experience in that field,” Chapa said. “Sometimes, the programs will bring alumni, or they will bring current students to the fair as well, to be at their booth.”
Jovita Viveros, an integrated health science senior, said she attended the grad fair in Brownsville to learn more about the programs before graduating in May.
“I haven’t been to one in a while,” Viveros said. “I wanted to attend one before I graduate.”
She said after walking around, she became interested in a doctoral degree in human genetics.
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“I think of this program because not a lot of people know that, if you join [it], you don’t have to have a master’s degree, and you can graduate with a doctorate,” Viveros said.
She encourages students to attend these events to learn more about the programs that might interest them.
Chapa said while making the decision to pursue higher education, it is important to consider the practical application of the degree and what you see yourself doing in the future.
“A graduate degree is an investment of your time, your finances, your energy, so you want to make sure that you are making a decision that is going to give you a return on that investment,” she said.
Maximiliano Cantu, a UTRGV accounting alum, said he attended the fair to learn about the programs offered.
“A lot of people that I’ve met in industries that I like have said to take a master’s … because it would probably be more attractive as an employee,” Cantu said.
He added he wants to find a specific program that is “niche” to what he wants his career to be.
“It will help me find what is valuable, like, in the job market, and so I can pursue it,” Cantu said. “… I don’t want to get a random program.”
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Chapa recommends undergraduate students interested in higher education to start looking during their junior year.
“We have some programs that have deadlines that close a year in advance, so you’re essentially applying to start your program a year before you start the program itself,” she said. “So, you want to make sure that you are planning ahead for entrance exams, for recommendation letters and all of that.”
FAFSA, scholarships and graduate assistantships are available for graduate students, according to the recruiter.
“A lot of our students do a combination of loans through financial aid, some grant aid, scholarships and assistantships in order to pay for their program,” Chapa said.
She encourages students to attend the Edinburg fair or visit the website to see the full list of programs offered at the university.
“Don’t close any doors prematurely, … especially if you don’t really know what you want to do, yet,” Chapa said. “Take advantage of events like the graduate fair or other information sessions that you learn about to just gather as much information as possible. This is a good time to stay open and stay curious.”
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